Shock absorber for suspended vehicles



Jan.

1,615,653 1927' A. .ROELANDTS SHOCK ABSQRBER FOR SUSPENDED VEHICLES Filed July 9, 1925 Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADELSON ROELANDTS, OF WACKEN, NEAR COUBTRAI, BELGIUM.

SHOCK ABSORBER FOR SUSPENDED VEHICLES.

Application filed July 9, 1925, Serial No. 42,363, and in Belgium July 17, 1924.

sald rod and attached to the opposed parts of the vehicle, as for instance to the chassis and to the axles by means of a suitable strap or the like.

The object of this invention is to provide a shock absorber of the above mentioned ty. e as a self-contained unit, this unit being in ependent of the parts of the vehicles to which it may be attached whereby it may be quickly and easily attached to or detached .from the chassis and axle respectively, or other relatively movable parts, of a vehicle, so as to be interchangeable from one automobile or othervehicle to anther practically instantaneously.

The shock absorber of the present invention comprises a leather belt, or strap, or the like, which forms a closed band, this band acting by two opposed portions upon said springs and being provided in each of said' portions with a hole or the like, through which pass the corresponding extremities of a said guiding rod supporting said springs, such belt or band being attached to the respective parts of the vehicle at points, which are symmetrically disposed in an angular relationship of 90 degrees with respect to said holes or the like.

Theannexed drawings represent by way of example two embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 1 represents a lateral elevation of the shock absorber, partly in section.

Figure 2 represents the shock absorber fastened to the front axle and to the corres onding part of an automobile chassis.

igures 3 and 4 represent details of construction; and

Figure 5 represents a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of the invention.

The shockabsorber comprises: a guiding rod 1 screw threaded upon its middle part 2 and at its end portions 8; nuts 4 screwed upon the middle part 2 of said rod, said nuts having an enlarged portion or collar 5; spring influencing disks or plates 6 slidably disposed upon the nonthreaded portions of rod 1, said disks having enlarged portions or collars 7 and preferably spherical outer faces 8; springs 9, which are preferably conoidal springs, interposed each between the collar portion 5 of a nut 4 and the collar 11 with nuts 12 and washers 13, thus forming a closed belt-or band through which the rod 1 passes at 14, suitable holes being provided for this purpose in the said belt or band at 14; nuts 15 and washers 16 serving to limit the outward movement of the blocks 6.

As shown the belt or band comprised of 10, 10 'laces the resilient mechanism 1, 4,

6, 9 through the fact, that it passes about the spherical faces 8 of blocks 6, the position of said belt or band relatively to said mechanlsin being assured by the fact that the rod 1, or more properly its end portions 3 pass through holes provided at 14 within said belt or. band. I

According to the example shown, the attachment of the shock absorber to the corresponding parts of the vehicle is accomplished, on the one hand, by means of an auxiliary strip 17 one end of which is "pressed between the upper jointed ends of buckle portions 10 10 of said band, whereas its other end is turned up and held in convenient position by means of a securing de vice similar to the devices 11, 12, 13, to form a loop or eye 18, and on the other hand by means of a second auxiliary strip 19, one end of which I is secured between the lower 'jointed ends of portions 10 10" of said band,-whereas its free end,-which is preferably of greaterlength than that of strip 17 to suit requirements of different vehicles,'-may also be turned up and conveniently fixed to form a loop or eye 20 or 21 as shown in dotted lines.

Now, according to Figure 2 the shock absorber described, is attached by means of loops or eyes 18 and 20 or 21 to a stud or .inforced by means hook, or equivalent part 22 fixed for instance to the chassis frame 23, and to a suitable bracket, or other equivalent part 24, fixed for instance to the axle 25 (or equivalent part) of the vehicle.

ccording to v.F igure2 the vehicle spring 26 is represented in its middle ,or normal, or neutral position. In this position the springs 9 of the shock absorber are already slightly compressed.

The operation of the. shock absorber is as follows: If the wheels of the vehicle pass over a depression in the roadthetspring26 will expand, this expansion of spring 26 moving the. points .22. and 24:, to which, the shockwabsorber is attached,; away from each other, [thereby causing the compression of springs. 9, which compression .in its 2 turn retards or counterbalances-saidcxpansion of of spring .26 permitting .the springs 9 to expand, such expansion assisting said compression .of. spring .26. Now, in both cases thechassis-23 will have the tendency-to rebound upon springs. 26 by virtue of reaction. This rebound movementofithe:chassis will equally causethe compression of springs 9 such compression counterbalancing or holding down said rebounding movement-of the chassis.

For regulating the tensionofs the portions 5 of nuts .4 holes5 Similarly the rod Lmay be provided with aperforation or. holes 1 Thus a is .will be ,suflicient to introduce :the

rings .9

extremityofla .tool .or for instance a pin or on the 0116.211911d :and

nail within hole 1" one of the holes 5 on the other hand, :to communicate'to:nuts 4,..5 a rotary movement in either .direction, tension ofspringst). It isobvious that=eachof the nuts-4,5 and 15,1nay cooperatewitha zjaln nutynot shown in the drawings, serving to maintain said .nuts in the desired position.

Figures13 and 4 represent by way oiflexamplehow the parts closed belt orband, are protecteduagainst wear, which otherwise could .occurthrough the slidingaction, ofrod llpassing through said parts of the endless 'or closed belt 'or band. According toFigure 3, the :hole in part v14: through whichthe rod 1 passes,-is,-re-

eye .27 attached to part 14 in anywel-l known manner, ,for instance by pressing .the-edges of said sleeve .in such a mannerasito form flange portions 28. Alternatively, accord- :ing .to F igure-a, the.blocks or .platesbmay be provided upon their spherical-facesB with tubular projections 29 which are re .are provi ed with thereby regulating :the

14 ot the endless or .of a metallic sleeve partor 1, in which. said band is subdivided into spectively received in the perforations formed in the respective portions 14 of the endless or closed belt or band.

It is obvious that the endless or closed belt or band may be constituted of any other materialthan leather, asforinstancmn textile "fabric sufficiently strongand suitably impregnated material or the like.

Equally the .loops or .eyes 18, 20 or 21 maybe formed 'by strips or parts of any suitable; flexible or rigid material.

Finally it is to be observed, that by suitably .increasing the diameterbi the collar portions 7 of blocks or plates 6 the essen- :.tially horizontal parts :of endless or 1 closed belt: or. band may :be brought at. a. suflicient distance from .each other 'to permit the shock absorber to-.counterbalance or retard not only the expansion. movement of. springs :26 or equivalent movementof. the chassis 233, but also the compression of said.--spring or equivalent movement otgthe ch'assis,.so faras-such compression or movementitakes place beyond; the normal or neutral position of parts 25, 26 .and 23 with irespectito .each other, a shocksabsorber capable tooperate in this waybeing shown in Figure 5.

Moreover according :to :Figure. 5 the end- .less or-closed belt or bandinsteadofibeing subdivided into .two parts as shown in .Fig- .ure 1, may be subdivided the ends of such straps beingsuitablyat- .tached .to opposite edge. portions "of said blockslor plates soas 'to be disposed in essentially parallel relationship to each other, the middleportion .ot eachstrap being provided. with .suitable attaching means by whichzthe shock absorber is removablyat- :tached ,to the. respective parts of .the vehicle.

What I c'laimis:

1. ,A shockrabsorberifor suspended avehicles .to retard 1 the;expa11sion .oftthe suspending. means therefor,icomprisingsa:rod screw- .threaded at .its middle .portion and; at tits end portions; adjustable nuts of :suitable configuration vscrewed upon the threaded middle portion ,iOf'SELlCl rod, "suitable plates .slidably disposed upon the nonthreaded portions .ofsaid :rod, helical .springsinter- :posed betweenieach of .corresponding plate, a closed 1band-:ofzflexi-. vble =and 'sufiiciently resistant material, :said band .being provided at 1 opposite sides with holes through which pass theend portions of said rod to permit :said plates, stop nuts sjscrewed upon the threaded extremitiesof said :rod,-and means for attaching said band -.t0the scorrespond .ing parts of thevehicle, said means being fixed to the buckle-at .points clisposedssymmetrically in air-angular relationship ofr90"-- with respect toithe said holesprovided inthe. buckle.

2. A shock absorber :according jtO iclaim said band itoinfluence l into two straps,

said nuts and 'the two portions joined together at their ends forced by metallic sleeves with outwardly 10 by means of a clamping device, strips being spread clamping flanges. interposed between said joined ends of the 4. A shock absorber according to claim 1, band, these strips being bent or turned up in which the outer faces of said plates are to form loops or eyes by means of which the of spherical shape. shock absorber is removably attached to the In testimony whereof, I have signed my 1 respective parts of the vehicle. name to this specification at Antwerp, Bel- 3. A shock absorber according to claim 1, gium, this 24 day of June, 1925. in which said holes in said band are rein- ADELSON ROELANDTS. 

